Even as the Grammy Awards remain music’s most prestigious awards show, their wins often feel wildly misplaced. From fan-favorite upsets to ongoing investigations of the Recording Academy’s history with racial bias, the conversation tends to focus less on who won and more on who should have. Here are five times the Grammys got it wrong in recent years, and how these losses still sting today.
“Renaissance” losing album of the year in 2023
Don’t get me wrong, I am a Harry Styles fan, but watching the absolute robbery of Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” at the 2023 Grammys could be considered my villain origin story. Set against our postpandemic longing for normalcy and belonging, “Renaissance” celebrates the dynamism and community found in club culture and its roots in the Black queer ballroom. With its laundry list of producers and co-writers like Honey Dijon, Skrillex and The-Dream and samples of iconic ’90s house music including Robin S.’s “Show Me Love” on track “BREAK MY SOUL,” “Renaissance” is perfection from start to finish. When Beyoncé herself sings “I’m one of one, I’m number one, I’m the only one” on “ALIEN SUPERSTAR,” who are you to disagree?
— Dani Biondi, Arts Editor
Ariana Grande walking home empty-handed in 2020 for “thank u, next”
I’m not here to dispel the monumental Billie Eilish sweep of 2020 — “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?” is a piercing debut deserving of its praise. But I would be remiss if I didn’t say that Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” set the tone for pop music in the 2020s, creating all the streaming records your favorite artists have worked to beat since. The unconventionally authentic project received five nominations throughout the pop and main categories, but did not receive a single accolade, even in categories like best pop vocal album where it seemed like a shoo-in. Competition was intense with smash hits from Eilish, Lil Nas X and Lizzo, but I can’t think of a moment in Grande’s career more deserving of a Grammy than “thank u, next.”
— Amelia Knust, Music Editor
Kendrick Lamar missing out on album of the year for Pulitzer Prize-winning “DAMN.” in 2018
There’s no doubt “DAMN.” is a powerful album about Kendrick Lamar’s struggles and those faced by Black communities in the United States. Even though the album won a Grammy for best rap album, it didn’t receive the honor of album of the year — despite having won a Pulitzer Prize for its lyrical depth, phenomenal storytelling and complex themes balancing the duality of pride and vulnerability. Although Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic” was a great album, did it really deserve the win over not just Lamar, but Lorde, Jay-Z and Childish Gambino?
— Alessa Alluin, Copy Editor
Lana Del Rey winning nothing for “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” in 2024
When’s it gonna be her turn? Although Lana Del Rey famously didn’t know she had to submit her music for Grammy consideration until a few years ago, she still managed to cinch a whopping five nominations at the 2024 Grammy Awards for “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.” The alternative-experimental album was a huge step for the “Cinnamon Girl” singer, incorporating gospel, lively synth elements and strikingly honest lyricism about her family and love life. Of course, the Recording Academy completely disregarded the vulnerable masterpiece. Perhaps the most egregious snub of the night, Del Rey lost album of the year to Taylor Swift’s perfectly fine but incredibly standard pop album “Midnights,” proving that the Academy favors safe wins over risky, genre-crossing bodies of work.
— Annie Emans, Staff Writer
Lorde’s “Virgin” receiving no nominations at the 2026 Grammys
Lorde’s “Virgin” marked a return to form along the lines of her critically acclaimed “Melodrama,” but she received no Grammy nominations in 2026. The album’s strong lead single “What Was That” saw worldwide success upon its release in April 2025, her Ultrasound World Tour sold out Madison Square Garden and she drew thousands to Washington Square Park in a viral stunt, but the synth-laden album was passed over by the Recording Academy in all categories. Maybe when her next album comes out in three to five years, the Academy will finally give Lorde the flowers we all know she deserves.
— Karina Rower, Staff Writer
Contact Dani Biondi, Amelia Knust, Alessa Alluin, Annie Emans and Karina Rower at [email protected].